Now in her third year as the head coach of the Spaulding High School girls varsity basketball team, Malsbenden returns seven players from last year’s 1-17 team. The Red Raiders went 4-14 in her first season and made the Division I tournament as the 16th and final seed.

“We’re moving in the right direction,” she said. “We’re building the foundation and the girls are working hard. It’s positive.”

The Red Raiders have some decent size led by 6-2 Lyndsee Thompson. Guard play will provide the challenge in D-I.

“We’re working hard on breaking the press and making good decisions,” Malsbenden said. “We’re working hard and being accountable. We’re going to win some games. We’ve been working on fundamentals the last couple years. Now we’re working on Xs and Os, so we have some options for offense and defense. We have more strategy. It’s fun. The girls are starting to see that and are having fun.”

Malsbenden said, “the program as whole, including the younger girls, we’re starting to establish expectations and they are starting to meet them.

“We’re looking to change the perception of Spaulding basketball in New Hampshire,” she added. “But we don’t want to get ahead of ourselves. I’ve got to hand it to the girls, they are responding.”

Spaulding opened the season with a 50-37 loss to Nashua South at home. The Red Raiders host Timberlane Friday.

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Spaulding’s program has had very little success in its 40-plus year history. The best stretch for the Red Raiders came in the mid 1990s when they made four straight trips to the then Class L tournament, which included tournament wins in three of those four seasons. The 1996-97 team, led by all-state guard and 1,000-point scorer Kelly Donohue (who later played four years on the UNH women’s team) had an overall record of 18-5, the best in program history. That year, No. 5 Spaulding won its first-round game over Manchester West at home, before losing in the quarters at No. 4 Londonderry. The Red Raiders have not won a playoff game since.

Unfortunately, after that season the Red Raiders went 10 years without making the tournament. At one point they went 2-70 in Class L and had a 37-game Class L losing streak.

Spaulding did make four straight playoff appearances from 2008 to 2011, but each time as a low seed and each time was summarily beaten in the opening round.